This document provides an overview of social media platforms for nonprofits. It discusses major platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, YouTube, Google+, Tumblr, and LinkedIn. For each platform, it outlines key statistics, features, best practices, examples and challenges. It emphasizes using visual content and being conversational. The document also describes pro bono resources available for nonprofits to get help with social media.
8. • 1.6 billion active users
• 800 million use it daily
• Every 60 seconds:
• 300,000 statuses updated
• 140,000 photos uploaded
Facebook
9. Three types of Facebook platforms:
- Personal profile: limited to number of
friends, friend requests
- Business or organization page: posts are
public, no limits to number of likes, public
“face”
- Community group: privacy settings
available, flexible settings, communication
within a group
Facebook
13. • Be conversational, talk to people
• Post regularly
• ALWAYS respond (well, almost…)
• NEVER remove (well, almost…)
• Use photos (videos) … many
• Post useful information, not just marketing
• Call for action (sign petition, share post)
• Be strategic with fundraising posts
Facebook Best Practices
17. • 305 million active users worldwide
• 1 billion registered users (almost half
never sent a tweet)
• 500 million tweets a day
• 6,000 tweets per second
• 80% of users tweet from their phones
Twitter
18. • 140 characters (but really only 120)
• # (hashtag) as a way to organize
information
• @ used for direct reply or mention
• RT retweet used to post someone’s
message
• DM is a direct message in private
• bit.ly or ow.ly are URL shorteners, which
allow to condense web addresses
Twitter Tools
19. • Participate in conversations: ask
questions and respond
• Use direct replies, mentions, hashtags
• Retweet other tweets
• Provide and share information
• Connect with current events
• Use photos
• Inspirational quotes
• BUT: there is no one-size-fits-all
Twitter Best Practices
22. • Only promotes your own events
• Automatic posts from Facebook
• Too personal
• Plain inappropriate
• Lacks relevance
• Forgot to turn off auto-tweet
• Talking at people, not to them
What makes a bad tweet?
25. • Easier to elicit emotion with a visual story on
social media
• Visuals are processed faster and
remembered longer
• Most visual apps: easy to use on
smartphones: great for in the field
• They are popular – by publics
• Many nonprofits are not using them yet – or
using them much
Why Use Visuals on Social Media?
26. Instagram
• Easy way to include visuals via mobile
• Photos and filters
• 400 million, owned by Facebook
• Simple posting to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr,
Flickr
• Use of hashtags
• Both photos and videos
29. • Popular social media platform in U.S.
• 31% of adult internet users
• 85% women, 15% men
• 42% of online women, 13% of online men
• Popular among younger users, but 11-pt
increase in 50 and older
• Used by nonprofit organizations for public
education, fundraising, public relations
• Used by publics for conversations, spreading
information, social support, venting
Pinterest
33. • More than 1 billion unique visitors each month
• Over 6 billion hours of video watched each month
• Video an activity that captures the spirit of your
nonprofit
• Provide links
• Use slideshows with music if video footage is
scarce
• Measure ROI/effectiveness by measuring the # of
views and comments
• Use “Insight,” a free measurement tool on
YouTube, to measure HOW people are finding the
content
YouTube
38. Need help to get started?
www.marcusmessner.com
VCU Social Media Institute
39. Pro Bono Resources
Nonprofit App Contest
NS804 Apps has partnered
with ConnectVA & Commonwealth PR to
offer the development of a mobile app, free
of charge, to one local nonprofit – including
conception, development and marketing of
the app. The pro bono value of this
Contest is worth $100k - $150k and all you
need to do is enter a simple 1 to 3 minute
video explaining your mission, goals and
how this technology could increase your
impact!
Details will be released next week, make
sure you’re registered on connectva.org to
receive Daily and Weekly Updates with
more information!